Lead AI/ML Engineering Program Manager

WHO YOU’LL WORK WITH

We’re looking for a Lead AI/ML Engineering Program Manager to join the Performance Engineering Lab, reporting to the Director of Advanced Product Intelligence. The Performance Engineering Lab, within the Advanced Digital Creation Studio, is focused on exploring new concepts for Nike products, such as footwear or apparel, and bringing understanding of product function using predictive engineering tools.

As a Lead AI/ML Engineering Program Manager in the Advanced Product Intelligence team, you’ll manage programs that deliver strategic AI & Machine Learning capabilities in support of Nike’s future product innovation efforts. You’ll collaborate with a cross-functional group of AI/ML engineers, creative technologists, data analysts, designers, and external partners. Your ability to connect strategy to execution will be essential for deploying new AI/ML solutions across Nike’s Advanced Innovation Collective.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We are looking for a highly organized, technically fluent program manager with experience leading AI/ML Engineering programs in product innovation environments. You are skilled at managing ambiguity, aligning diverse stakeholders, and balancing strategic thinking with day-to-day execution. You understand the details of delivering AI/ML programs from initial concept through model testing & deployment. You bring structure to early-stage innovation & experimentation, and you help turn ideas into successful execution.

• 8+ years of work experience in technical roles, including 4 years minimum of program management experience.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field. Will accept any suitable combination of education, experience, and training.
• PMP certification preferred.
• Demonstrated expertise in core program management skills, tools, schedule management, issue and risk management, and facilitation.
• Comprehensive understanding of AI/ML development workflows, including data acquisition, model training, evaluation, and deployment.
• Experience working with AI/ML and Data teams in delivering consumer-facing technology capabilities.
• Proven success managing complex, cross-functional technical programs involving multiple stakeholders and external vendors.
• Superior communication, troubleshooting, time-management, and analytical skills.
• Disposition towards building relationships and leveraging partnerships to navigate complex organizational challenges.
• Comfortable collaborating with technical and creative teams in a fast-paced, experimental environment.

WHAT YOU’LL WORK ON

You will lead complex AI/ML-focused Engineering programs from concept through execution. Specifically, you will:

• Provide extensive experience in enabling AI/ML Engineering and Data teams to deliver advanced generative and predictive capabilities with high quality and efficiency.
• Manage timelines, scope, and deliverables for AI/ML Engineering workstreams, including data collection, model development & evaluation, and data infrastructure initiatives.
• Track program success metrics while flagging risks and ensuring appropriate escalation paths.
• Own, forecast, track, and portfolio manage the program budget, balancing risk, schedule, and quality.
• Work closely with technical leads to translate technical requirements into actionable roadmaps with clear milestones.
• Manage external engagements with AI/ML vendors, evaluate proposals, define scope of work, and ultimately ensure successful & timely delivery of contracted scope of work.
• Lead milestone planning, status reporting, risk assessments, and retrospective processes across multiple concurrent initiatives.
• Build scalable program documentation and process frameworks to enable repeatability, cross-team transparency, and informed decision making.
• Understand technical issues and risks, driving them to closure by bringing together key internal and external partners for decision making, understanding constraints, converging on solution sets, building consensus with stakeholders, and aligning on priorities.
• Proactively interface directly with Legal and Contracts teams as required to support Program and IP positioning goals.

We offer a number of accommodations to complete our interview process including screen readers, sign language interpreters, accessible and single location for in-person interviews, closed captioning, and other reasonable modifications as needed. If you discover, as you navigate our application process, that you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please complete the Candidate Accommodation Request Form.